West Virginia Democrat. [volume] (Charles Town, W. Va.) 1885-1890, 1887-12-02
OUR CATTLE QUEENS.
EIGHT HUNDRED OF THEM RAISING
HERDS IN COLORADO.

HERDS IN COLORADO.
Refined, Intelligent Women, They Sue
cessfully Look After Their Own In
terests-A Denver Reporters Chat with
a. Prominent Cattleman.
"Are you personally acquainted with many
women engaged in the business of cattle rails
ing." asked the reporter.
The cattleman gave long whistle.
swell, | should think so" he said. "Pve
studied them for years. You want to know
what kind of women they are! I'll tell you
what sort they are, young man; they're
ladies, that's what they are. Now, don't
mean by that that they would be afraid of
soiling their hands if occasion required; no,
indeed; nor of doing a charitable action
which would neceSsitate some personal ex-
posure ON their part, for they are generous to
a fault What / mean to say is, that they
are as a rule refined and intelligent women,
who read and think and are capable of max
ing good appearance in society. l don't
know as have ever seen one of them who Is
phenomenally intellectual, outside OF the
Judgment they exercise in the stock business,
which is phenomenal Most of them have a
genius for business, and nine-tenths of them
know how to appear in drawing room.
"In most instances they are rich and know
well how to use their money to advantage so
MS to get the most good out of life. Many of
them are wives and mothers, and when they
are such assure you they are both wise and
kind. You will find that they rule their
households with firm hands, and that their
husbands and children, to use the biblical ex-
preston. rise up and call them blessed
"Stock women are much like others, save
that they have wider Judgment on practical
subjects. They are thoroughly DuSinesslike,
because they appreciate the vast interests
which they have at stake, and the quick con-
ception with which all women are gifted
enables them to see clearly what the inevi-
table results would be of one false move.
They know that their decisions must be well
weighed that they must act only under the
most careful consideration, and that once
having acted they must abide by their de-
ciSion with calm, answering spirit. 1t is
a good training school for a woman. 1t
takes all that idiotic nonsense about nerves
out of her and gives her brain cool, COM
mon sense poise which many q man might
envy.
GREAT RESPONSIBILITIES.
Il know Of no position in life which had
rather my daughters would fill. 1t is one
burdened with great responsibilities, OF
course, but what mode of life is not where
there is anything to be gained! IaSSure YOU
| should not consider that a clear understand
ing of the cattle business interfered in any
way with the refinement OF those whom /
hold most dear"
But YOU have doubtless met stock women
Of q directly opposite class, have you notp
"Oh, yes: there are necessarily exceptions
30 all rules. The uucouth woman Of the
sanch, who rounds up her own herds and who
sleeps in the saddle, is not altogether creature
Of the Imagination. Uncouth and ignorant
she may be, but she is always good woman,
and one whom all the cowboys respect. /
know several instances where the women can
swing a lariat like a man, and know quite
well how to manage herd. very few of
them personally supervise their own animals,
however, and these, in most instances, are
those who have not as yet accumulated much
wealth, although there are some very rich
cattle women in Colorado who ride after their
own herds. A woman usually manages her
cattle through a foreman, whom she often
supplies with brain power. She does not
usually live on the ranch, but rather in q
handsome house in some neighboring town.
But, all the same, she is the bone and sinew
OF the business. Her clear head manages it
all, and il is through her directions that her
foreman always proceeds. She often spends
the summer on the ranch, where comfort
able dwelling is fitted up for her, much on the
order of an English shooting box.
NOT EASILY WON.
"You want to know something about tie
unmarried women who are great stock raisers.
Well, the main thing that can be said for
them is, that men of position and prominence
everywhere want to marry them, not purely
out of money considerations either, for some
of these unmarried stock women have fund
of good sense and useful intelligence which
cannot be eclipsed, and beside this, many of
them are quite accomplished and good look
ing. But few of them are past their youth,
and they have a shrewd way of looking ut
things, which augurs i'll for the stranger who
looks with longing eyes upon their flocks and
herds.
Colorado women generally have gone into
the stock business" concluded the cattleman,
through direct line OF inheritance-that is,
they have inherited either small herds, vast
ones, or taste and inclination for tho life. l
know of numerous instances where a father
has died leaving his daughter very small
herd, and she has gone steadily on with it,
making thousands where her father before
her mede hundreds of dollars Again, there
are widows who have come into possession of
vast stock interests through the death of their
husbands, and who have managed the bust
ness left to them until the receipts run away
up in the millions.
Il know reSolute women too, who began
without dollar, and who have gained wealth
and standing in the stock business. The most
highly novel sight l ever saw was 14year-
old girl herding cattle away up in Montana,
with only her little brother TO assist her. The
father of these two children had died, leaving
them q small herd of CATTLE and / would DO
willing to wager my last dollar that that little
brown skinned girl away up there in that
wilderness viii yet count her dollars by
thousands OF the 500 stock women now
doing business in Colorado, all are well and
favorably known among cattle and sheep
men, any one of whom would gladly befriend
them IN case of an emergency, but whom, on
the other hand, they are quite capable of ad-
vising in many practicable matters relating
to stock raising. Denver Republican
II Always Pours.
The discovery OF rare elements bids fair TO